[Confidential] Motivation

[El Bastardo]

The following is an Anonymous submission from a Revscene member. If the OP would like to respond to anything said in this thread, please PM me.

For those of you in school I'm sure this isn't a problem that I'm solely dealing with

but how the fuck do you guys motivate yourselves to study? I am such a procrastinator its disgusting. For the past 2 semesters, I don't even start assignments or study for midterms/exams till the night before, usually in the AM - I cram up until the minute of my exam, and often I still get sidetracked in the process

I almost never complete any assignments or study to the best of my ability and I'm barely getting over a 2.0 GPA

I'd like to say I'm just a useless lazy motherfucker but I don't have issues working hard towards other things. I have no problem dedicating myself and remaining disciplined in accomplishing almost anything else but I just can't seem to sit down and fucking study.

[lonelydriver]

So what does this have to do with relationship?

Anyways, you need to find new friends that have common goals. Sometimes, it is hard to motivate yourself so you depend on friends to motivate you.

[ewong]

Where are you studying?

It's all about habit and discipline. I'm kinda in the same boat you were before. Procrastinate and just cram. It didn't turn out very well.

I found that the biggest problem for me, studywise is that I need to find a quiet place to study, but not too quiet. Also, go to a place where you don't have access to a computer/ tv helps to.

I usually study/ read now at either waves/ starbucks (well a quiet one). It's quiet, but not quiet enough where you'd fall asleep.

Also, setting study goals helps too, ie. reading chapter 1 & 2 by x day or read for x amount of hours a day.

[Jackygor]

Sounds like me 2 years ago...if you have the motivation to type this post, you will eventually change and find your motivation, just make sure you can stay in school until then...What did it for me was I found something that actually interests me (communications) and it made everything so much less painful, it was great. I then started to lose weight, the motivation behind that was to make myself look better (self investment), after that, it seems as though my goals were solidified and I knew exactly what to do to obtain certain goals...but I still procrastinate and slack off.

[butter_sashimi]

Welcome to the club. I just procrastinated 4 hours reading manga and forum reading when I should have been doing Finance problems.

You just haven't had a taste of the true risk behind of not doing the work. When you get a grip of what reality can be, you'll start sticking your nose in the books. If you're terribly upset over your 2.0 GPA or if your future rides on your studies now, then you'll fix yourself. It also goes with external distractions, goals and ambition towards those goals.

[Drow]

ahhh im on the same boat as you.

as much as i wanna study and get do good in school, i always get sidetracked.

i procastinate to the very last minute. when its the last day before my midterm/exam, i'll start to take out my books, and even then, i use most of my time forum browsing, or playing some comp games or talking to people. even when theres a few HOURS left before my exam, i can still manage to find things to do that does not have anything to do with studying.

FML

[hi-revs]

Why do so many people have this problem?
Either straighten out your priorities and get your 4.0GPA, or just drop out and try working up from the bottom.
All you have to do is, "just fucking do it"! Seriously.
You want a good mark? Like anything else, put the TIME and EFFORT into it.

[Culture_Vulture]

if you really think you need help you can visit a learning adviser at your institution,
it sounds tacky, but they actually do have a number of ways to help you get more motivated towards your studies

of course, they're all indirect methods; it still really comes down to yourself.

[urrh]

there are things you have to give up to achieve you goals... that simple

on a side note; holy crap i hate those sylvan commercials. "children can loose 2 months of learning over the summer"
who the fuck cares? it's goddamn elementary... like we really need to know the difference b/t types of clouds

[tiger_handheld]

make FRIENDS with some girls in all your classes, they will help you focus!

again, why is this in R&G ? did the bastard make a mistake?

[Ferra]

good motivators:
- Have friends to study with
- Engulf yourself in a circle of friends which like to compare marks against one another
- Look at other more successful people and realize how much you suck in comparison
- Have people laugh at/disrespect you for getting such low marks
- Compare yourself to someone whom you think are dumber/lesser than you but getting higher mark, and say to yourself: "if a retard like him can do it, why can't i?"

[Nvasion]

i have the same problem when i try to study at home... now i just go to a coffee shop and do my homework... so much easier there to study... just put on my headphones and off to work i go. At home there is tv and all sorts of distractions.

[Mananetwork]

You have to find something you really enjoy, don't force it if you know you don't like it

[Alphamale]

Originally Posted by Mananetwork

You have to find something you really enjoy, don't force it if you know you don't like it

qft.

Albeit, it's harder if you're doing 1/2nd year junk..cuz that shit is digustingly boring for the most part. Personally, I think it is absolutely key to find a subject that you take serious interest in. That is what made me start studying hard. That being said, it's difficult to figure out what you want to study.

[wuuhoo]

Originally Posted by Ferra

good motivators:
- Have friends to study with
- Engulf yourself in a circle of friends which like to compare marks against one another
- Look at other more successful people and realize how much you suck in comparison
- Have people laugh at/disrespect you for getting such low marks
- Compare yourself to someone whom you think are dumber/lesser than you but getting higher mark, and say to yourself: "if a retard like him can do it, why can't i?"

lol those are pretty good. Infact I use those for motivation and i can tell you, i was a B/A student =)

[nns]

If you don't pay for your own schooling, then start. That'll motivate you.

[underscore]

like people have said, you've got to be doing something that you enjoy doing, thatll make it a lot easier.

as far as my study methods, if I'm alone I put on music that doesn't have any lyrics (usually techno) and face away from my computer. I prefer to study with other people though, as it helps keep me from getting frustrated when I get stuck as I can ask them for how they solved a particular problem, and it also makes me feel guilty if they're working hard and I'm slacking off haha

[clowe]

Study at the school library after class. I'm like you and get sidetracked really easily, I can barely get anything done at home. Last week I finished class early and had to wait 1.5 hr for my friend to finish class so I went to the library and did some of my homework problems, in that 1.5 hr, I got more done than I did in an entire week at home, no joke

[saucywoman]

this is more applicable in campus forum; moved

[kaitamasaki]

Here are some concise tips for you... I'm in the exact same boat as you are, only that I failed out of university and am still doing the same shit at a college... well I think im slowly taking steps back to get order in myself

Nonetheless, try:
- sleeping earlier, waking up earlier
- always do the most imminent hardest thing first
- don't stop til you finish it
- don't multitask
- finish it in one go or else its gonna take too much time to refocus again
- when studying, don't cram, do a little review everyday, never more than 40-50 minutes
- nap if you have to, but make it quick
- go to every class, don't skip (skipping is for the weak). even if its a waste of time, just go, at least do some other class's stuff while you're in there.
- try not to take notes, rather listen instead

perhaps you just need more motivation.
perhaps you're afraid that if you study its going to threaten your self-esteem. or you want to avoid the possibility of doing bad on it, so you avoid it and still do bad in the end.
you need to rethink whether this is what you really want to be doing.

having hardworking friends help as well, its all about influence. I did so bad in university because I was always out with guys that "hung out" and "chilled". It was like the most unacademic thing I could do.


I see procrastinating and motivation as two different things

if you like what ure studying, you'd do the homework, preread etc. for fun.
theres many good ways to deal with procrastination... such as time management, GTD. but in the end its all making yourself "do it". motivation comes after, because its like a snowball rolling down the hill on its own momentum. But to make that snowball go forward in the first place, depends all on whether u are willing to " do it " or not. You will find a lot of the times once you start doing it, its not that bad, and is quite enjoyable haha

[way2quik]

Originally Posted by nns

If you don't pay for your own schooling, then start. That'll motivate you.

I pay for my own tuition and I still procrastinate.
As someone already mentioned, find something you like doing and you'll enjoy doing it.

For me, I love Criminology courses, but I procrastinate like a crazy mofo when it comes to writing term papers. I write them ON the day that it is due, 10 pages in 8 hours, and I've never gotten anything lower than a B. I wonder what I would have gotten if I actually prepared for it.

Take exams for example, no one likes to study hours and hours the day before an exam. What I suggest is study one week beforehand. And I mean just read over your notes or one chapter a day for 1-2 hours. Time flies by so fast that you feel great you took those 2 hours to read your notes.

I also think of my education as a way of life. Good motivator by the way. Finish your degree, get your certificate/paper/B.A.... and hopefully a good job lands your way.

Originally Posted by kaitamasaki

- sleeping earlier, waking up earlier
- always do the most imminent hardest thing first
- don't stop til you finish it

perhaps you're afraid that if you study its going to threaten your self-esteem. or you want to avoid the possibility of doing bad on it, so you avoid it and still do bad in the end.

sleeping early and waking up early does help. But don't most students finish the easiest things first? Because for the hardest assignments, you'll never know when you'll get it done which could leave the little assignments unfinished.

If someone is afraid of failure, then start studying. Either that, or the person needs to get their act straight. If you're afraid of failure, think of your failures as motivators. it's easier than it sounds, but keeping your mind set on things is a good first step.

[twitchyzero]

work part-time/volunteer

it'll keep you on your toes and you'll know you cant fuck around anymore

im in a similar boat..but not as serious and I have the discipline...but the distraction is still there

[xplodngKeys]

I found that the best way for me to complete my papers (either small ones or term papers) was to create a schedule at the start of the semester for all my classes. On the schedule I would have a start date in which I would begin to choose a topic and research it; then a research deadline about a week or two later; and finally a paper deadline that was 3 to 5 days before the actual deadline. This ended up saving me a few times when you found out that your 4 history term papers are all due on the 12th week of classes since theres no way you can put out 4 quality term papers in one week (in history at least...totally doable in economics or finance though!).

For my assignments and studying I just worked in a weekly schedule where I had one day devoted to each class, one day to catch up, and one day to just chill out. Normally the chill-out day turned into another catch-up day or I would just roll it into the afternoon after a class or classes and not do anything.

As for in class stuff I agree with whoever said just listen.... although it depends on what class your in and how you absorb the material (and if your talented in that area to begin with). If you luck out and have the same prof twice early on in your degree you'll be able to pick out what points he emphasizes and what points are just for interest. Basically your class notes will just be a reference so make sure there are key points in it that you can refer back to your texts with.

--> for example, if you have an economics class where the days topic is the GDP and its calculation, write down the formulae and the key ideas associated with it, forget about your profs. rant on how he hates people sitting in the front row eating cookies.

The big thing is just make sure you book in some free time with your schedule and you take everything day by day, week by week, and assignment by assignment... hopefully this way you can prevent some procrastination and hopefully a sense of being overwhelmed -which sometimes leads to procrastination.

[Teriyaki]

Sleeping earlier and waking earlier makes a HUGE difference in my studying/focus.

[kaitamasaki]

Read some of those study/college hacks websites... Cal Newport's blog is a good place to start... lots of good concepts like timeblocking, autopilot, not taking notes at all.. etc.

As well as StevePavlina, Zenhabits... lots of stuff there though, so take your time.

Sleeping earlier and waking earlier is very hard to do for me as well, so I would suggest raising the bar, eg. commit to waking 30 minutes earlier every now and then until you can consitently get up at like 7. I would love to get up at 6, practise piano, go take a walk/jog to plan out my day, a little review, news/blog reading.

It's a lot better and will cut down on something like this: going to school every day in a rushed manner, barely having time to eat breakfast, always dozing off in class and not paying attention because of thinking of what to do today, etc.